What's New and Coming Soon in Book-to-Screen

Including 'Heartstopper', 'The Nickel Boys', 'Wicked', and more

There's a lot going on in the book-to-screen world right now. We're excited to watch, but first we want to read (or reread), because, as we all know, the book is (almost) always better. Here are fifteen of the books that inspired the latest adaptations. Order your copy of the source material so you can read before you watch.

Note: Age recommendations often vary between the book and its adaptation. We have consulted internet sources such as commonsensemedia.org to provide age recommendations and ratings for many of these materials, but we encourage readers to do their own research as well.

The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante

Season four of My Brilliant Friend is now airing on Max

The final season of the series based on Ferrante's acclaimed Neapolitan Novels draws from book four. The story follows the complicated friendship between two women from their childhood in postwar Italy to the late 1980s. In this volume, the brilliant, bookish Elena is drawn back to Naples. There, she is reunited with the fiery uncontainable Lila who never left. Appropriate for ages 15 and up.

The Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz

Currently airing on PBS

The second novel in the Susan Ryeland series finds the retired publisher running a small hotel on a Greek Island with her long-term boyfriend. When a couple arrive and present Susan with a mystery involving their missing daughter and one of her books, Susan knows she must return to England and find out what happened. The adaptation of this charming cozy mystery, rated TV-14, stars Lesley Manville. 

Joan by Joan Hannington

Episodes are being released weekly on the CW

Growing up, Joan learned to trust no one but herself. At seventeen, she becomes a mother, trapped in a disastrous marriage with a brutal thug. When he goes on the run, Joan seizes the moment to escape. Desperate to give her young daughter a better life, she enters a life of crime. Sophie Turner stars in the miniseries (rated TV-14) of the true story of one of Britain's most notorious diamond thieves.

Heartstopper, Vol. 4 by Alice Oseman

Season three is available on Netflix

Charlie and Nick's relationship has been going really well, and Charlie thinks he's ready to say those three little words. Nick feels the same way, but he's stressed about coming out to his dad and the possibility that Charlie has an eating disorder. As a new school year begins, Charlie and Nick will learn what love really means. The adaptation of this delightful YA graphic novel series is rated TV-14.

The Outrun by Amy Liptrot

In theaters now

Fresh out of rehab, after a decade of heavy partying in London, Liptrot returns home to Orkney, a remote island off the north of Scotland. This memoir maps the author's inspiring recovery as she rediscovers the place that shaped her: walking along windy coasts, swimming in icy Atlantic waters, and reconnecting with her parents. The visually stunning film, rated R, stars Saoirse Ronan.

Stinger by Robert McCammon

Teacup is streaming now on Peacock

This sci-fi horror novel is set in a grim, near-future rural West Texas. When a UFO comes crashing through the clouds, it brings a young alien named Daufin, a fugitive who has taken human form. She is followed by Stinger, a ruthless bounty hunter who will destroy all in his path. The creepy, violent series adaptation stars Yvonne Strahovski, Scott Speedman, and Chaske Spencer.

Disclaimer by Renée Knight

Streaming now on Apple TV+

When a mysterious novel appears at the bedside of documentary filmmaker Catherine Ravescroft, she is shocked to discover that it's all about her and reveals a dark secret she has never told anyone else. As her past catches up with her, her world begins to fall apart. The miniseries, aimed at mature audiences, stars Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville, and Sacha Baron Cohen.

The Gods of Guilt by Michael Connelly

Season three of The Lincoln Lawyer is streaming now on Netflix

This is the fifth book in a series of legal thrillers that follows the continuing battles of lawyer Mickey Haller. When he's hired to defend a man accused of killing a prostitute, Haller finds himself haunted by the ghosts of his past. This is the case that could represent his ultimate redemption or his ultimate guilt. The series (appropriate for ages 15 and up) stars Manuel Garcia-Rulfo.

Rivals by Jilly Cooper

Streaming now on Hulu

Set in the highly competitive milieu of 1980s British television, this novel is the second in the Rutshire Chronicles series. Within the ruthless world of broadcasting, bad-boy Rupert Campbell-Black and producer Lord Tony Baddingham incite controversy as they battle for control. The show (packed with adult content) stars Alex Hassell, David Tennant, and Aidan Turner.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

In theaters now

When Elwood Curtis, a Black boy growing up in 1960s Tallahassee, is unfairly sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy, he finds himself trapped in a grotesque chamber of horrors. His only salvation is his friendship with fellow "delinquent" Turner. The film adaptation of this Pulitzer Prize winner stars Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, and Hamish Linklater.

Conclave by Robert Harris

In theaters now

The pope is dead. Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, one hundred and eighteen cardinals from all over the globe will gather to cast their votes for his replacement. These are holy men, but they are not immune to corruption and the process turns treacherous. The adaptation of this thriller (rated PG) stars Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini.

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

Coming to theaters Nov. 8

It's 1985 in a small Irish town. Bill Furlong is a coal merchant and family man. In the busy weeks leading up to Christmas, while making an early morning delivery to the local convent, Bill makes a discovery which forces him to confront both his past and the complicit silences of a town controlled by the church. Cillian Murphy stars in the adaptation of this quietly powerful, award-winning novella. 

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

Premieres on Hulu Nov. 14

In 1972, masked intruders dragged a 38-year-old widow and mother of ten, from her Belfast home. This bestselling true-crime narrative—as finely paced as a novel—peels back the layers of the Troubles and its legacy in Northern Ireland. Drawing from the celebrated nonfiction account, the new limited series follows the lives of people growing up in Belfast in the 1970s, '80s, and '90s. 

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

Premieres on Hulu Nov. 19

Willis Wu is a bit player on a procedural cop show called Black and White, but he dreams of bigger things. After stumbling into the spotlight, Willis is launched into a wild journey that sets the myth-making machines of our culture on fire. The series adaptation of this smart, funny novel tackles race, pop culture, immigration, and assimilation. Starring Jimmy O. Yang and The Daily Show's Ronny Chieng.

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch by Gregory Maguire

Coming to theaters Nov. 22

This inventive tale, set, recasts the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz. The young Elphaba, green-skinned, wild, and misunderstood, only wants to use her powers for good. The novel inspired a Tony-winning hit musical and the long-anticipated film (rated PG), directed by John M. Chu, stars award-winning singer/actress Cynthia Erivo and mega-pop star Ariana Grande.

Most Anticipated

Here are a few of the most exciting upcoming adaptations we've got on our radar.

• Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper—The film based on this YA novel about a brilliant eleven-year-old girl living with cerebral palsy premiered earlier this year at Sundance and will be coming to Disney+ later this year.
• Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder—Amy Adams stars in the comedy horror film—coming to theaters in December—based on this inventive novel about a new mother who believes she's turning into a dog.
• Mickey7 by Edward Ashton—This sci-fi novel is being adapted into a film called Mickey 17 starring Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo.
• The Electric State by Simon Stålenhag—This sci-fi graphic novel about a teen girl on a cross-country mission with a robot will be a 2025 Netflix film starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt.
• Dog Man by Dav Pilkey—Pete Davidson is set to star in the animated adaptation, coming out in 2025, of this entertaining middle-grade series.
• Trust by Hernan Diaz—The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, a brilliant literary puzzle, is being adapted into an upcoming HBO series starring Kate Winslet.

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon